End of year rainbow appreciation

The president/presidency: for not resigning In spite of calls to that effect. Sincerely, I do not see any justification for such call, constitutionally or morally. The constitution never forbad him from, either succumbing to or falling ill. And He did not promise during his campaign never to fall sick. What the constitution envisaged—incapacitation— for his resignation has not happened. for sure, none of the members of the government or even outsiders has complained of the president calling him or her, Turai, when he/she visited him in the Saudi hospital, which means, he still has the presence of mind to continue to function as, the president, with the aid of modern communication tools.
One appreciates the illness for strategically and conveniently coming at a time that Nigerians would have been calling on the president to account for the failed promise of stabilizing electricity supply in the country which for now has, certainly, been over taken by event. Who talks electricity any more when the president illness has polarized the polity into resign and don’t resign camps? Very few! We must now resign ourselves to the fact that the actualization date can no longer be December. We have to wait for Yaradua to return and then perform his trademark act that follows any of such controversial trips in other to divert attention from issues of performance: sacking of one or two ministers.
And talking about electricity, one would commend the PHCN staffs for performing in direct relation to the currency of the rumour about the president condition. In fact, they more than NTA, kept us well informed by the rapidity with which they went on and off, in the month of November.







FROM THE PRESIDENCY TO THE NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS OF THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY to appreciate the national executive and working committee for snatching Anambra state from the vandals whom Obasanjo had left in charge of the party and state, on his exist. They have really done the state and nation a service, irrespective of the process. Another session with these vandals in charge would have caused the collapse of the state.
The ring leader has moved on to another party to try and actualise his dream, banking may be, on his personal relationship with the INEC Boss, but with the combined will of the people of the state, one is sure he is not going to get any where near the government house. My preference for the government house is in this order: Mr. Peter Obi, Prof. Soludo, and then, Dr. Chris Ngige.





DELTA STATE GOVERNMENT: for never disappointing the people in their mediocre ways of doing things. The government is one that can’t start and finish projects, however the size. It can’t complete the tarring of inherited roads, almost three years after and is in the habit of constructing obstructive mini stadium in the name of roundabouts! In every indices of measuring performance, however generous one wants to be, still can’t rate the government more than a pass. It is a government that has elevated brain wave to the basis for state policies and programs.





Like Uduaghan like almost all his lieutenants. This writer has always maintained this view about human resource: that good is the one with the experience but best is the one with good judgement. One of the brain waves of the administration is a so-called annual peace concert under the supervision of RMD. Yea! The same RMD of the home video business! This concert contrary to all expectation has never performed anywhere near average; instead, even with his involvement it has moved from bad to worse!



For that of last year, the military brought in armoured tanks ostensibly to shoot to pieces any one who would dare to disrupt the peace. And for artist, they brought then reigning P square who literarily walked through the podium and left for another event, outside the state. All this was after the people had spent hours on end waiting for almost eternity.




For this year nothing was heard until a day or so to the concert when the state radio and television carried it as part of their news bulletin—more than a year now I have never listened to the state radio nor watched the TV for more than an hour at a time, at most, particularly, the TV. In the news—I unfortunately heard it from the radio cause I listened to a very interesting program that has ran for years called, make country for better and afterwards, did not switch it off— artist like 50 Cent, Akon and Ciara were announced as coming from America to join the hugely successful Mo hit squad in gingering our swagger. Time was put at 12 noon.




One got there by 3 to give them ample time to sort any problem. Lo and behold, the event was yet to kick off and to make matters worse, the place was swarming with both military and anti riot mobile personnel who refused to allow any one other than the organizers into the Warri stadium venue. Making most persons to wonder aloud if it was a show for the security personnel stationed in the town. yes! Town, not city! Somebody actually called it a koboko concert. By five when the writer came back people were already being admitted amidst koboko. On entering the venue, the first surprise was that the stadium with which the state had hoped to host the just concluded, Under 17 world cup was not yet completed and so the event was holding by the equally uncompleted swimming pool building!



As at 5pm the organisers were yet to put the podium which looked like the pulpit of a small church, in order. Gadgets were still being connected! Then after another wait, the show got under way with Lagos defined DEDE MABIAKU. He did not sell with the crowd. But even at that, he continued for almost an hour plus making everyone wonder if he was the only artist around. After leaving the stage he came back again but the crowd would have none of that and he quickly beat a retreat.
That was the incompetence of RMD got on display. There was no artist whether local or national any where, not even the Warri based Oritshe Femi! It was after another round of wait that somebody from the crowd who had come to watch the show went with his work collection and was allowed to perform, Then entered one so-called comedian and then some three under aged kids before the power supply finally packed up. I left. This was around or between 8 and 9pm. As one left, one was resolute in saying that no surprise had being sprang. It is in line with the mediocre performance of the government.





In the midst of all the goings moving in the wrong direction, one would have thought that RMD and his crew would be up and doing. Not him. He revved himself up like an old locomotive and moved lazily and round reinforcing, my believe that there is a wide gap between being an actor interpreting scripts and organizing events or leading as an administrator. RMD is not anything near an administrator. He has neither the passion nor the heart of one. He is more interested in preserving his looks than in shedding the required sweat needed to bring in results. In the future, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to outsource similar event to AYO, the one in charge of HIP HOP AWARD. He is not an artist but knows how to put them together for a world class show.




My appreciation is in the government not disappointing the people of Warri. Apart from this event, it had earlier announced that it was embarking on the sweeping of the sand dunes called roads in parts of the town just for the Christmas celebration not because it was considered necessarily a government business like Fashola has been doing in Lagos, everyday.



Postscript: In the course of putting this piece together the writer learnt, the governor later arrive the venue with another batch of security operatives including more army personnel complete with armoured tanks. All for a peace concert! Talk about a regulated peace.



MEND, PARTICULARLY TOM POLO for in spite of inconsistencies in government pronouncements and actions kept the peace. It shows you as a leader with the respect of the followers. This is more than can be said for most of the governments in the country.



THE YOUTHS, particularly those who have managed to stay way from all or some negative vices like drug abuse that leads to anti social conduct armed robbery in spite t of unparalleled incentive by the state like nightly electricity failure, reliable and strategically distributed bad spots on the different stretch of our highways, mass unemployment, poorly mobilised police force and inconsequential immigration service and much more in the political arena in the form of youth wing militancy that breeds thuggery and arsons if not kidnapping and outright murder or assassination. I appreciate you all. It is not easy to be a youth in Nigeria, Not, with all, the goings on by those who are in government and who have wickedly kept the corruption runs in the house; not allowing the opportunity to be in the government circle to go round.



THE TELCOM COMPANIES AND PROMOS, Nigerians are aware that the telecom firms scarcely give any thing away, just like that. Instead, they rip bounteously in the form of growth in subscribers’ base and quicker use up of airtime, all going to swell the bottom line. But still they give something. However, one of them, Glo recently broke all records of such promo with what they called BIG DASH In which subscribers were expected to register for a profile that allows them, deduct #40 daily from the users account while he/she is allowed to make calls to Glo lines for free, for the rest of the day. This turned out to be a big swindle. The monies were dutifully deducted but calls rejected.



Yours truly has been a subscriber to them since the very week they launched in Enugu and has remained so. As a matter of fact, but for my girl friend I would never have gotten MTN. but she persisted and I did. Today I am happy I did as glo after a while, started giving problems, yet I kept the line active even though I stopped recharging it. But with the recent promo I did only for them to deduct the money and connect my calls with the intended receiver only after many try. The following day was worst as I tried until I ran out of battery life. Then I stopped bothering.



Somebody said the promo has stopped but that I might be, owing them and that if I eventually recharge, it will be deducted. I just did the most sensible thing: swap the SIM with that of Etisalat. So for #40, they lost my subscription. Others beware hence it becomes your fate, also.



FINALLY, GOD ALMIGHTY for in spite of our proven incompetence in resource—human and material—management, still finds us worthy to continue to be home to such incomparable endowment; where otherwise, he should have visited us with Sodom and Gomorrah treatment as well deserved.
Thank you GOD, thank you JESUS, thank you HOLY SPIRIT.

ILOBI AUSTIN